Winter Safe Driving Tips

Here are some winter driving tips to help keep you safe while you are on the road this season:

1. Turn off cruise control. If your car begins to skid or hydroplane, cruise control will make your wheels spin faster, increasing your loss of control.

2. Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Push the gas pedal slowly to regain traction and avoid skids. Remember, in snowy or icy conditions, it takes longer to stop. So decelerate slowly and give yourself extra time to slow down for stop signs and stoplights.

3. Increase your following distance. Increase your distance behind other vehicles to 8 to 10 seconds. This will give you the extra stopping room needed on slippery roads.

4. Avoid stopping. Use inertia to your advantage. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a stoplight changes, your vehicle will have more momentum and less chance of getting stuck.

5. Don’t try to gun it up hills. Get a rolling start and build up momentum as you reach the bottom of the hill and let it help carry you up. Mashing down the accelerator will only make your wheels spin.

6. Drive slowly. In snow and ice, your vehicle will respond more slowly. By driving slower, you give yourself more time to adjust to road conditions.

7. Stay home. If you don’t have to go out, don’t. You can’t get in an accident on the road if you’re safely at home.